Thick, hearty & comforting, this flavourful one-pot-wonder will warm the cockles of your heart. Packed with plant-protein, it’s lovingly seasoned with the warming spice of cinnamon, smoked paprika, cumin & turmeric. Serve with hot toast or fresh bread, and dunk to your heart’s content.
Another reason I love this recipe: it’s a great example of affordable, filling, delicious, plant-based food. Sometimes you’ll find tinned beans and tomatoes on special at the supermarket, and if you throw in some vegetables you happen to have on hand, you’ve landed a low-cost, nourishing meal. The spices elevate these simple ingredients to a family-friendly feast.
I also love a recipe that offers versatility, so that’s what I’ve set out to achieve here. For the vegetables: the recipe suggests using 1 cup of veges, finely chopped. Instead of telling you exactly what to use, I urge you to use up what’s in your fridge or garden (eating seasonally is always best!) You may simply choose to use a cup’s worth of diced carrots, or you may have half a sweet potato lying round and a floret or two of cauliflower. Throw them in! (root vegetables and brassicas will work well here, leafy greens will lose some colour and structure unless you add them near the end)
We can apply the same gay abandon to the tinned beans. If you love chickpeas, use them! Most beans will work well here. I’ve had success with tins of Four Bean Mix, chickpeas, pinto beans, red kidneys, or a combination of tins.
2 Tbsp olive oil (plus extra for serving)
1 brown or red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ red chili, finely chopped (* see note below)
1 cup finely diced vegetables (see above for ideas)
2 x 400g tins of beans, drained and rinsed (see note above)
½ cup raw lentils (** see note below)
1 x tin of diced tomatoes, juice and all
½ cup tomato puree or passata, or scant 1/2 cup of tomato paste
knob of fresh ginger, grated (about 1 tsp)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp salt
a few good grinds of black pepper
4 cups vegetable stock (OR: 1 tsp vege stock powder, dissolved in 4 cups of hot water)
to serve:
salt and pepper to taste
a few squeezes of lemon juice
handful of fresh parsley or coriander, chopped
toast or bread of choice to dunk into it
* a note on chili: since chilies vary greatly on heat, please use whatever heat you enjoy. I find that half a long red chili suits me fine. Or swap for 1/4 tsp cayenne powder.
** and a note on lentils: again, use what you have. I like red lentils because they break down well and provide bulk & texture. We’ll adjust the cooking time to suit, so feel free to use brown, red, puy or a combo.
In a large pot, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic and chili, frying for a couple of minutes. Add all the spices, including the ginger and stir well. Doesn’t that smell good?
Add all remaining ingredients, stirring well. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat right down and allow to simmer, stirring a few times, for about 20 minutes. The key here is to make sure the lentils are tender. If you used red lentils, they’ll be cooked within the 20 mins. If you used brown or green or puy, taste test them to check for softness (sometimes lentils that have sat in the pantry for a while can take longer to cook, so it’s a matter and testing & continuing to simmer)
Have a quick taste test for seasoning too. If your stock was pretty salty, it may not need anything extra. Season as desired. Serve into bowls, giving each bowl a quick squeeze of lemon juice. Scatter herbs on top if using. Enjoy!
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